In various environments, it is oftentimes desirable to have a visual indication of a change of appearance responsive to certain applied stimuli. For example, and in accordance with the present invention, it has been found desirable to release on demand a liquid or viscous fluid to simulate "bleeding" in toy figures such as toy animals, insects, dolls and anthropomorphic forms to demonstrate that the figures have been "injured," or in other toys such as cars or locomotives to indicate leakage. Typically, the toy figures of this invention are three-dimensional, but the invention is not limited thereto and is applicable also to two-dimensional toy figures.
The term "bleeding" is used herein in a broad sense to indicate a dispersal of a medium, for example, a liquid or a viscous substance where previously the medium was confined or encapsulated, and wherein the medium dispersed visually contrasts with portions of the toy figure or articles surrounding the dispersed medium. Typically, the medium dispersed will vary in characteristics, for example, color, in accordance with the theme of the toy figure. Thus, a toy doll may have a portion of its surface which, in response to externally applied stimuli, e.g., upon application of pressure to that surface portion of the doll, disperses a liquid colored red, simulating an injury to the doll. Thus, the doll "bleeds" from a simulated scratch or a cut. As another example, a toy figure, such as a soldier or knight, may disperse a viscous fluid colored red to simulate bleeding from a wound when pressure, such as being struck by a toy sword, is applied to the toy figure in accordance with this invention. Sores, abscesses and other types of open wounds may be simulated in toys. Other colors may be used to simulate "bleeding," for example, the color green may be used to simulate "bleeding" from a toy anthropomorphic form, such as a Martian spaceman.
The present invention is based on known microencapsulation techniques such as previously used for carbonless paper, as well as scratch and sniff applications on paper for releasing scent or fragrance. Typically, pressure-rupturable spherical capsules having very thin walls are formed of a gelatin and confine within their walls a liquid, e.g., an oil. The capsules are typically fixed on a substrate and pressure is conventionally applied to the capsules to rupture them and release the liquid. Techniques for forming the microcapsules with liquid therein are described and illustrated in U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,859,229 and 3,576,660, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. To applicants' knowledge, however, microencapsulation techniques have not been employed to simulate "bleeding" in connection with two and three-dimensional toy figures.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a toy figure comprising a three-dimensional toy figure body having an outer surface exhibiting a first discrete color, the toy figure body including a plurality of rupturable microcapsules each having a wall confining a medium within the microcapsule, the plurality of microcapsules being disposed over a predetermined discrete area of the toy figure body and forming a continuation of the outer surface, the walls of the microcapsules being rupturable in response to application of pressure to the microcapsules to disperse the medium over a discrete portion of the outer surface of the toy figure body, the medium being of a color contrasting with the discrete color of the outer surface of the toy figure body to simulate bleeding in the outer surface portion of the toy figure body.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for dispersing a flowable medium in a simulation of "bleeding" from a body comprising a patch for releasable securement to the body having a substrate and a plurality of rupturable microcapsules on one side of the substrate, each microcapsule having a wall confining a flowable medium within the microcapsule, the substrate having a releasable adhesive along a side thereof opposite the microcapsules for releasably securing the patch to the body, the walls of the microcapsule being rupturable in response to application of pressure to the microcapsules to disperse the medium over a discrete portion of the surface of the body, the medium being of a color contrasting with a discrete color of the body to simulate bleeding in the surface of the body.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel and improved two and three-dimensional toy figures capable of forming a visually perceptible contrasting coating, e.g., simulated bleeding, at a specified site on a toy figure or article upon application of pressure to that site.